EDAD 201

Philosophy of Education
 CRITIQUE PAPER
ON THE RESEARCH TITLED
“AN ANALYSIS OF CORRELATIONS
BETWEEN PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
AND THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION” by
Melehat Gezer
1.2. A classification of educational philosophies
Perennialism and essentialism are based on the
philosophical currents of idealism and realism. According
to perennialism and essentialism, what is important in
learning-teaching process is the content. Students are
passive and receivers of knowledge whereas teachers
are active and transmitters of knowledge. Based on these
shared properties, perennial and essential philosophies of
education are called Traditional Educational
Philosophies (TEP).

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Progressivism and reconstructionism, however, are based
on pragmatism. According to both progressivism and
reconstructionism, students are at the centre of
educational process. It is essential for students to
participate in the learning-teaching process actively and
the teacher’s task in this process is to guide students.
Based on these shared properties, progressivism and
reconstructionism are labelled as Contemporary
Educational Philosophies (CEP).